


Good Company

by Barkour



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/F, Get Together, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 01:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7339183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barkour/pseuds/Barkour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of both her father and her husband's deaths, Mistress Big finds comfort in a friend's kindness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Company

Mr Big's death might very well have led to widespread violence in Zootopia's organized crime community, had his daughter not proved her standing within the organization. So concerned were Mr Big's peers with his son-in-law, the third son of the Adessi family, that they neglected to pay heed to the legally declared heir: Fru Fru, and Fru Fru alone. 

It happened very quickly. The Felicis sent a lynx to do the work. Fru Fru dispatched him herself, but it was too late for the Adessi family's third son. Fru Fru did not retaliate but it was noted that the Felici family saw a decline in patronage at their chain of cozy restaurants. The Felicis had behaved poorly, as scavengers. Had they succeeded, then perhaps-- No matter. They had not.

There were rumors that Fru Fru, now grieving both father and husband, had friends of a certain authority. To speak of this was unwise. Let the fine-dressed mafiosos of Zootopia instead offer condolences to Mistress Big and her little Judith. What tragedy. 

A friend arrived to pay respects. Some of an indiscreet inclination might note this friend, a Judy Hopps of local renown, possessed a badge. Might this confirm the rumors? Allow Mistress Big to entertain her connections. This was only polite. If this should prove in its time to be a question of Officer Hopps' morals, then it should be mentioned at that date.

Indiscretion was not a quality favored in Mr Big's employees. What might transpire between a boss and Zootopia's finest remained where it transpired. It was not to be discussed. What transpired was this:

"Oh, Judy," said Fru Fru, holding her delicate hands out to her, "I'm so happy you could come. Oh, it's been awful, all alone."

Judy very gently set her vast paws beneath Fru Fru's hands. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to see you sooner. How are you?"

A little sniff, a dab at the eye with a tiny square of lace. "Oh, Judy. Poor Alberto. Do you know, I still hear his screaming. If only I'd been faster!"

"You were fast enough," said Judy urgently. "If that lynx had gotten both of you... We're looking into the Felicis now, and you've been a great help. We couldn't do any of it without you. And who'd take care of Judith? At least she still has her mom."

Fru Fru patted Judy's paws and sniffed again. "You're right. Of course you are. Would you like to see her? She's in her nursery with that new nanny, that meerkat you recommended. From the school."

"Oh, let her rest," said Judy. "I'm sure she's just wore out."

Fru Fru laughed tearily and let Judy's paws go. "You have the most enchanting way of talking, Judy. I knew you'd make me feel all better about this mess. You always do."

Judy bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes, so bashful, so sincere, so sweet. "Fru Fru," she said, a joke: you can't mean that, not now.

"But you do," Fru Fu insisted, "I mean it. When that giant donut was coming at me, oh!" She clutched her hands to her breast. "I was for sure that was it. I was done for. And then you said just the nicest thing about my hair, and I just knew."

Teasing, Judy said, "That that was the right choice for your wedding?" Then she winced and looked sorrowfully at Fru Fru, who waved this off with a flick of her hand.

"I knew," said Fru Fru, "that you were going to be my dearest friend."

"You have so many friends," protested Judy. "Fifi and Lilah and Marguerite and Frannie..."

"None of them like you, Judy." 

Fru Fru reached for Judy's paw and so Judy gave it to her. The fine, honed points of Fru Fru's claws settled with such precision against Judy's knuckle.

"When that donut came, Fifi and Marguerite ran without a word."

"They must have visited you since..." Judy wrinkled her lips. 

"But not to comfort me," said Fru Fru, her little nails pricking at Judy's skin, beneath the fur. "Oh, they visited. All to make sure I knew they were still loyal to the family. But Judy, you came for me."

Judy's eyes softened. She leaned nearer to Fru Fru, and the pink of her nose was a darling thing. Her breath came evenly and warmly across the table, across Fru Fru. 

"Of course I came," said Judy. "You're my friend, Fru Fru. You're actually--" She laughed then, a noise nearly shy. Wryly she said, "Believe it or not, you're the first friend I made here."

Fru Fru touched her breast and made a pleased aw! "And you're my friend too," said Fru Fru. "My dear, dear friend. Come here, Judy, let me kiss your cheeks."

Judy's thin lashes shivered over her gleaming, huge eyes. Her breath had caught minutely before it resumed its trembling work. The silver-strong lines of her whiskers worked. Fru Fru held her hands palms up to Judy in offer, in invitation, in benediction complete.

"Fru Fru," said Judy, as in a question but not as a no.

A great tremulation seized in it the piston of Fru Fru's heart. 

"Judy," she said.

Judy, tall, athletic, a woman like the women Fru Fru best admired, Judy who was so noble and so clever and so recklessly brave: this Judy took between each thumb and each first finger one of Fru Fru's hands. She held them with all the care such a touch between so great a mammal and so small a shrew necessitated.

Judy took a breath and closed her eyes and leaned in to give to Fru Fru her soft-furred cheeks. Fru Fru kissed the left, mindful to touch the fur and not the air. Judy, her lashes lifting so she might glance at Fru Fru, turned her head to present the right cheek to Fru Fru. This, too, did Fru Fru kiss.

They leaned apart. Judy held Fru Fru's hands. Fru Fru lowered her own eyes, truly bashful. Even this she knew to make art.

"You know... It wouldn't be so bad. If you stayed for dinner tonight. And maybe coffee after."

"Fru Fru," said Judy softly. Something of guilt moved on her. "Your husband..."

"I'm a widow, Judy," said Fru Fru, with the briskness this truth demanded, "and Judith would be so happy to see you. She asks about you all the time. You're her hero, you know. I'll have the guest room made up just for you."

A smile crooked the corner of Judy's sweet mouth. "I do have to work tomorrow."

"And my driver will take you to the station."

"I'm not so sure that would be a good idea," said Judy. "Getting a ride to the precinct from--" She rocked her eyes side to side without saying it.

Fru Fru was unbothered. It was as much a fact as the badge in Judy's purse and the ice box beneath her great grandmother's rug from the old country.

"Then the train station," said Fru Fru. She curled her hands against Judy's fingertips. "Judy, please. You're such a comfort to me. I would love to have you."

Judy hesitated. No doubt she considered the breadth of this gulf to be leapt. Would she make it if she tried to return? It is one thing, some may say, to keep company with criminal elements, but to perhaps bed with such elements, well, that is another.

Let us consider then this Judy. A brave bunny, true, dedicated to her work, to her partner, a fox of some great worth, to the name of her family. Was this so different from Fru Fru, likewise devoted? To be sure, Officer Hopps has manipulated the law to her own ends on occasion; she has not so much bent the rules as neatly slipped between them. And ah, the regrets of tomorrow are far from the hopes of today. Is it not so? 

Judy said, "Oh-- Well, why not. I do love your lasagna."

"Of course you do," said Fru Fru, smiling. "I make it special, just for you, Judy." She clapped her hands to alert the polar bears stationed at each corner of the room.

"Tell Mrs Bearton in the kitchen to start getting things ready. Now let's go see our Judith. Carry me, Judy, oh, you're so kind. Thank you. What an absolute doll you are."

"Oh, no," said Judy, her pink nose wriggling, "if anyone's a doll, it's you, Fru Fru."

Fru Fru arched her brow. She looked over her shoulder at Judy, from Judy's opened hand. "Because I'm so small?"

Judy laughed. It did marvelous things to her grey fur.

"I like that you're small," Judy said. "It makes everything about you so, so darling."

Fru Fru moued. "You can call me cute if you like," she said, fluttering her lashes. "I don't mind if it's you."

Judy smiled at Fru Fru. "It is me," she said, "isn't it?"

"And me, too," said Fru Fru. "Just Judy and just Fru Fru. Isn't that nice?"

"You know," said Judy slowly, as in thought, "I think it is."

Fru Fru, satisfied, smiled too, so her sharp teeth showed.

As to the other events of the evening, who might speak of them? Mistress Big's men are quite dedicated to their jobs and to the requests of their mistress for discretion. Suffice to say there are solutions to all obstacles, even if one does not yet perceive them, and it is to the boss to decide what is the appropriate way to thank a loyal friend their continued kindness. 

Tundratown did not speak of it. To upset the Mistress Big would be most crass. Instead wish her the blessings of a successful business, an excellent partnership, and a healthy child to bear the name. To Mistress Big, may she live long; may she live well, and ever in good company.


End file.
